Miriam Toews and Writers’ Trust chair Douglas Knight
(Photo: Tom Sandler)

Manitoba–born novelist Miriam Toews was awarded the second Writers’ Trust of Canada $50,000 fellowship on Nov. 23. The fellowship aims to provide Canadian authors found to have “exceptional creative ability and outstanding promise” with the ability to pursue their work free from financial concerns. Three fellows are to be named over three years to mark the country’s sesquicentennial, with $150,000 total granted to be granted in total. Newfoundland writer Michael Crummey was the fellowship’s inaugural recipient last year.

“I’m deeply, deeply grateful and honoured to be selected for the Writers’ Trust Fellowship, especially considering the astounding literary talent in Canada,” Toews said in a release. “The fellowship affords me an extravagant amount of time to write, and time is the most meaningful gift a writer can receive.”